"Hah!"
As if reaching this point, the Fourth Concubine felt she had nothing left to lose.
She let out a cold laugh and raised her head, "Yes, I harmed someone! But Yang-ge'er is alive, and Qing-ge'er is also alive! Do you want me to pay with my life?! Why? Isn't my life also a life? I'm just not as fortunate as you!"
She suddenly turned her head, her sharp gaze fixed on Concubine Liu, "You are lucky to have met the Master and consecutively borne two children! Look how sensible and obedient your children are? Fourth Girl is intelligent, and Qing-ge'er is robust. If you lost them, do you think the Master would even spare you a glance?! You are nothing more than a low-class actress, worse than me!"
Such words struck Concubine Liu right in the heart.
Song Chaoyu also stared at the Fourth Concubine, showing her no mercy, "My concubine might be lucky, but do you know what she sacrificed for my father? So what if she's an actress? My concubine was the star of the troupe back then! If she hadn't met my father, she might have had extraordinary talent in opera. Even if she couldn't sing for the Empress like the current Young Master Qianxi, she could at least have been famous in the region!"
In her heart, she felt it was not worth it for Concubine Liu, "Do you think she just wallows in self-pity all day? You don't know how much hardship we endured when we were on the estate! You don't understand how much effort my concubine put in for Qing-ge'er and me to become who we are today!"
"And what are you?!"
The Fourth Concubine finally threw all pretense aside and confronted Song Chaoyu, "Just a庶女 (shu nü - daughter of a concubine) raised in an outer chamber! In the past, let alone the masters of the Song family, even the servants didn't pay you any mind. You were just lucky to gain the favor of His Highness Prince Chang, and now you've become Princess Chang, do you think you can do as you please?"
"Ridiculous!"
The Fourth Concubine, tears streaming down her face, tilted her head back and laughed, "If I had your destiny, I would surely live better than you! How could I have ended up here for you to mock me?"
She was obstinate.
She naturally didn't know the suffering she had endured in her previous life!
"Alas—"
Seeing her like this, Concubine Liu sighed and said to Song Chaoyu, "Yu'er, forget it! She won't understand."
She slowly walked towards the Fourth Concubine, "I once thought you were the person who treated me best in this world, besides Yu'er. After returning to the Song manor, you were always warm and helped me wherever I went. I treated you like my own sister, but I never expected... you would target Qing-ge'er. You couldn't have children, so why make our Qing-ge'er suffer?"
"Why do you have to say so much?"
The Fourth Concubine's eyes were filled with hatred, "It's a matter of the victor and the vanquished anyway, and I can't resist. But I still say, whether it's Yang-ge'er or Qing-ge'er, they are both alive and well! You can't use my life to do anything! Otherwise, I will certainly not be convinced!"
"Fine, rest assured, for someone as wicked as you, taking your life so easily would likely leave me feeling unsettled."
Song Chaoyu had already figured out how to deal with the Fourth Concubine.
Since she was jealous of them, let her live the life they once endured.
However... she didn't believe the Fourth Concubine could manage it.
Song Chaoyu's eyes grew colder, "Naturally, Concubine is still considered an elder to me. If I were to kill you directly without following your wishes, I fear you would not rest in peace as a wronged spirit. Moreover, this would also tarnish Yongjia's reputation, so I wouldn't do such thankless work."
She lowered her head, concealing the disdain in her eyes, and said calmly, "I have also asked Grandmother's opinion. I was thinking of sending Concubine to the estate, the very place where my concubine and I lived before."
Hearing Song Chaoyu say this, the Fourth Concubine was somewhat surprised, "You... you want to send me to the estate?"
Did she think it would be that easy?
Song Chaoyu tugged at the corner of her lips, a chilling smile forming, "Naturally. You are being sent there for your mistakes, which is different from when my concubine and I were there. We will not provide you with any maids or servants; you will only have a room from which you can never wander too far. There will be people watching you on the estate, but no one will manage your food and drink."
Watching the Fourth Concubine's expression change bit by bit, Song Chaoyu's smile grew more pronounced, "I suppose the Fourth Concubine was not born into nobility before, so you should know how to fend for yourself. I hope your days there will be better than mine and my concubine's."
"No! You want to imprison me on the estate?!"
The Fourth Concubine finally understood Song Chaoyu's meaning and looked at her in terror, "No! I don't want this! How can you treat me like this? Yang-ge'er and Qing-ge'er are fine, they are not dead! You cannot imprison me!"
What was the point of saying anything more to her?
Song Chaoyu looked at Tiaohong, who was standing outside, "Tiaohong, carry out Grandmother's orders. Quietly send the Fourth Concubine away, and don't let her disturb anyone else. If you can't..."
Song Chaoyu made a shushing gesture to the Fourth Concubine, "Then cut out her tongue. That way, she won't bother others, and Father's ears can have some peace!"
"Yes, Miss!"
Tiaohong rarely saw Song Chaoyu looking so fierce, but this time it concerned Qing-ge'er, so everyone understood Song Chaoyu's intentions.
"No! You can't do this to me!"
Terror filled the Fourth Concubine's eyes, "You are the future Princess Chang. If Prince Chang finds out you are such a vicious woman, would he still want you?! You can't treat me like this, I am the Fourth Concubine of the Song manor!"
"Noisy!"
Song Chaoyu let out a scoff, and strong wet nurses stepped forward, stuffing something into the Fourth Concubine's mouth.
Only after they had dragged the Fourth Concubine away did Song Chaoyu turn to Concubine Liu beside her, "Concubine, are you alright?"
Concubine Liu had actually never witnessed such a scene before. She was not worried about others, but rather held Song Chaoyu's hand, "Yu'er, you were afraid to even look at a chicken before, how can you be so... formidable today?"
As Song Chaoyu's concubine, she naturally knew of Song Chaoyu's transformation.
Song Chaoyu merely lowered her head and gave a bitter smile, "Concubine, others have bullied us to our doorstep. If I remain as weak as before, how will we survive? Concubine, don't worry, I'm just scaring her. I won't really cut out her tongue. As long as she behaves herself on the estate from now on, we will never see each other again!"